Burglar-alarm.



' S. R. BROOKS.

BURGLAR ALARM.

LlcAImN man :un: a. 191s 1,211,669., I I Patented Ja11.9,1917.

" 1TH SAT T @FFliCEi SIDNEY ROGERS BROOKS, OF SALAMANCA, NEW YORK.

IBURGLAR-ALABM.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

rateneeaaan. s, iai v.

Application led June 3, 1915. vSerial No. 31,860.V

alarms adapted for attachment to Windows or doors, which when vopened will cause the device-to be actuated'for exploding a cartridge inserted thereinto.

My invention has for its obj ect to improve on theinvention of Simon D. Lauder et al., for which Letters-Patent of the United States, No. 353,311-, dated November 30, 1886, werev granted tothem.

In the burglar alarm embodying the invention covered by the Letters-'Patent referred to, the cartridge explodes in an upward direction when applied to one side of a doorway, Yand in a downward direction when applied'to the other. As alarms of this type are Afixed securely to door openings and are likely to be accidentally actuated, the force of the explosion in a downward direction may cause injury to the party passing through the door opening.

My improvements contemplate the provision of a reversible alarm so that it may be used at either side of the door opening with the cartridge positioned to explode in a downward direction, thus guarding against accidental injury to persons passing through the door opening.

Other objects are the provision of an alarm of this type provided with adjusting means to insure instant actuation of the same upon the slightestopening movement of a door or window; the provision of means for actuating the device from a distant point; and to so construct the body of the device that4 the actuating part associated therewith may be arranged to cause explosion of the cartridge at either end of said body portion.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Figure l is a side elevation of the device applied to a door jamb. Fig. 2 is a vertical section vtaken on line 2 2, looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line, the

trip arm of the device being partly shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. Ll is a horizontal section through a modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 yis a transverse section of the body portion with other parts of the device removed.

In the drawings in which similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts in the several figures, the reference numeral 5 designates a door -jamb and 6 t-he alarm, considered as a whole. r1`he alarm also includes in its mechanism, means for locking a window or door after actuation of the device,

and for this purpose the body portion or casing 7 is peculiarly constructed. This body portion or casing comprises a rectangular or box-like structure 8 open at oppositeends and having near each end a cross wall 9 provided with a central opening. This body portion is preferably secured to the jambfof the door with its face flush therewith, and for this purpose it has a flange 10 extending from one corner thereof which is recessed into the jamb, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, screws 11 being passed through said flangeand taking into the jamb to securely fasten the device in position. rlhe wall of the box-like structure flush with said flange is provided at opposite ends with slots 12, the inner or end wall 18 of each of said slots having a pointed prong 14; extending therefrom, for a purpose to hereinafter appear. The cross walls 9 of the boxlike body portion are-'provided with coinciding openings 15 in which is guided for rocking and lengthwise movement a rod 16, said rod having a coil spring 17 surrounding it which bears at one end against a washer 18 lying in contact with the lower cross wall, and at its other end against a washer 19 held on the rod by a pin 20 passing through the latter, the spring. being held under compression by a trip arm 21 secured to the lower end of rod 16. Said trip arm is preferably threaded onto said rod,

as at 22, and is adapted to lie incontact f with the lower edge of the box-like body portion to one side of the lower slot 12, as at 23. When in this position, the trip arm "retains the coil spring under tension. Passing sidewise through the trip arm, is an adjusting screw 24 which may be adjusted to project therefrom, the adjustment being to bring the end of said screw the desired distance from the door, shown in dotted lines at 26. Said trip arm has formed therein a cartridge-receiving opening 27 in which an explosive cartridge 28 is adapted to be placed, said cartridge having its head at the upper side of said trip arm, as at 29. The trip arm is shown in the path of the door 26, and the adjusting screw 24 is so arranged with reference to the door that the slightest opening movement of the latter will cause said arm to be swung inwardly. During this movement said arm rides oli' the lower edge of the box-like body portion, and as soon as it is clear of said edge, the coil spring 17 acts to draw said trip arm upwardly into the lower slot 12. Y This upward movement of the trip arm causes the head of the cartridge 19 to be brought into forcible contact with the prong 14 at the upper end of said slot, thereby exploding the cartridge so as to awaken the occupants of the house and at the same time frighten the intruder. When the trip arm is moved upwardly into the opening 12, it serves as a lock against the further opening movement of the door.

As shown in Fig. 1, the device is applied to the right hand side of the door opening, but by reason of having the openings 12 at both ends ofthe box-like body portion it may also be used at the left hand side of a door opening, and when so used the position of the upper and lower slots 12 are reversed. Y

Itis here to be stated that one of the walls of the box-like structure is removable, as clearly shown at 30, said wall being held to the remainder of the' body portion by screws 31, or in vany other suitable manner. By removing this wall, access may be had to the interior of the body portion so as to enable the rod 16 with its spring and trip arm to be readily removed from the box-like structure and replaced in reversed position. When the rod with its springand trip arm is reversed and the box-like body portion is applied to the left hand side of the door opening, the same relation of parts exists as when the device is applied to the right hand side of the door opening; that is to say, the trip arm will be at the lower end of the body portion with the open end of the cartridge directed downwardly.

In order to reverse the trip arm and its rod it is simply necessary to remove the wall 30 after which, by means of a suitable tool, the pin 20 may be withdrawn from the rod, whereupon the rod with its arm can be withdrawn from the body portion. versing the rod, it is thrust through the openings 15 in the cross walls and the pin inserted through the rod beneath the washer When re- Y 18, thus the parts would assume'the same position shown in Fig. 2 in reversed order.`

As clearly shown in the drawings, this cle vice is adapted for use in connection with an inwardly opening door, which when swung inwardly on its hinges engages the trip arm, or the adjusting screw of the trip arm if used, and causes said arm to be forced inwardly into line with the lower slot 12, so

that the spring may come into action and forcibly draw the trip arm into said slot to bring the cartridge 28 into contact with the prong 14. If, however, it is desired to use the device on an outwardly opening door the trip arm 21 has connected thereto one end of a wire or cord 34, the other end of which will be attached to the door so that upon opening the latter the wire or cord will be drawn upon and the trip arm moved into line with the lower slot 12 at the lower end of the body portion, the spring 17 acting, as before described, to forcibly bring the cartridge in contact with the prong 14 at the inner end of said slot.

Having thus described my invention, what 1. burglar alarm of the type described, comprising a box-like body portion having end, a rod guided for rocking and lengthwise movement in said body portion, a spring tending to move said rod lengthwise in one direction, and a trip arm secured to said .rod andhaving a cartridge-receiving.. opening therein, said arm being positionedV one of its walls provided with a slot at each Y,

wise and rocking movement within said body Y portion and being reversible end for end, a coil spring surrounding said rod and tending .to draw the latter in one direction, and a trip arm secured to the lower end of said rod and having a pocket adapted to receive an explosivecartridge, said trip arm engagingY the lower edge of said body portion and being adapted to be actuated upon opening the door so as to bring said trip arm in line with the adjacent slot in said body portion, said spring serving to forcibly draw said trip arm inwardly in said slot and bring the cartridge in said arm against said prong.

3. burglar alarm of the type described, comprising a box-like body portion having a slot at the lower end, a removable wall and spaced cross walls, and having also a securing flange extending from one side thereof,

a rod guided for rocking and lengthwiseV bearing at one end from one of said cross walls and having xed bearing on said rod at a point between said cross walls, and a trip arm secured to the lower end of said rod and having a pocket therein adapted to receive an explosive cartridge, said trip arm engaging the lower edge of said box-like body portion and being adapted to be swung inwardly in line with the slot thereof when engaged by a door and said coil spring serv- 10 ing to forcibly draw said rod and trip arm against the prong of said lower slot.

In testimony whereof I aEX my signature.

SIDNEY ROGERS BROOKS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

